I don't think abortions should be made illegal simply because I know that back street abortions would be carried out and think this is a much worse option.

That does not mean I am pro-abortion, just that I would rather if it was going to happen at all, that it was in a safe, healthy environment with medical professionals that know what they are doing.

That being said I know personally only 2 people that had abortions, and I know the tremendous guilt they live with every day and the wondering what if (especially as they both have children now)

My mum didn't want kids, she told me herself she only had us because my dad wanted kids. My mum never took any responsibility for us, and used the excuse that she never wanted kids so shouldn't have the responsibility. I disagree with this wholeheartedly to the extent that if she didn't want kids and then after having them refused to take responsibility she should have moved far away and had nothing to do with us so as to avoid actively hurting us by her presence. Almost as though punishing us for her choice. She was narcisstic, cruel and manipulative.

I was raised by my dad in a brainwashing strict control cult (they call it a religion I call it a cult you say to may to, i say to mah to) I had no birthdays, no xmas, no easter, no friends, not allowed extra curricular activites, bible/book study, meetings or door to door 7 days a week, no boyfriends, no parties, no exploration of other religious ideas, no involvement with any political ideas, no talking to anyone not in the religion except for when ministering, not allowed to report crimes to police. List goes on and on, but yes pretty much a miserable existance filled with fear.

On top of this I was sexually abused from aged 5 and repeatedly raped from aged 8 till I was 15.

I was bullied to the extremes at school, including daily being taunted, called names, pushed, beaten, had my hair glued, spat on, burnt by cigarettes, whipped with sticks, icecream put in face amongst other humiliations, and once even set on fire. This was in upper school, previous to this in middle school I was isolated, friendless, ignored and treated much like a leper.

Yet, I would never wish I was aborted. Because despite the terrible and traumatic childhood, despite the effects it still has on me now such as lacking trust in people, fear of social situations, difficulty in making friends, hardships in relationships, difficulty I had bonding with my children at first, I have moved on, I have created a life for myself, I am getting closer to recovery and happiness. And I would never wish that I didn't have this opportunity - the gift of life, the chance to grow and learn, the chance to become a better person, to feel pride, to have children - to live!

I don't have much money, we often have to go without the finer things in life, but yet I still believe it is good my children are here with their own opportunites at life. And for what it's worth my children are happy and healthy. They are grateful for what they DO have, not mournful about what they don't have. They are never upset when I say they can't have something now but that I will try to save for it and they may get it later. They understand the real value of money, that sometimes we can't have what we want, or that sometimes we have to work hard and sacrifice and save for what we want.

With my first child, I could say I was too immature to have her. We used a condom and it split, I had a morning after pill and it didn't work. I could not have an abortion. When she was a baby I was neglectful and irresponsible, and even came so far as to call social services to find a foster home for her, but then at the last minute I changed my mind and instead asked for help as well as parenting classes. Though I live with the guilt of how I was with her when she was a baby, what is important is that she is now happy. And regardless of whether I originally didn't want a child and felt I was too young and immature, I do not regret having her, and I know she is glad to be here too.

I gave up my career to be a stay at home mum, and hopefully one day when they are all at school I can return to work.

(these are my arguments as to why I don't think financial, immaturity, inconvenience or careers are good solid reasons to terminate a human life. But not an argument for making abortions illegal as I still don't like the idea of returning to middle ages with back street abortions to me the argument of legal vs illegal is simply a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils)